Employment in Missouri decreased by 20,900 jobs over the month, and 12-month employment growth was lower than the March 2019 figure. The state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 4.5 percent, up by one percentage point from the February 2020 rate of 3.5 percent.

Leonardo DRS, a leading provider of defense products and technologies, has announced the start of the expansion of its manufacturing campus in West Plains. The company’s expansion is expected to create more than 100 jobs and was enabled in part by a cooperative effort to construct a new overpass that addresses concerns affecting logistics and efficiency.

Cim-Tek Filtration, a leading manufacturer of filtration products, recently announced that it will expand in Kennett, creating up to 77 new jobs. Cim-Tek Filtration’s expansion will allow the company to continue to innovate in filtration and develop new products available worldwide.

The Missouri Department of Economic Development (DED) announced today that Kayla Kueckelhan will serve as its new Deputy Director for the Division of Strategy and Performance, which informs DED’s strategic planning, program development, and performance management.